Environmentally Friendly Toothbrush

ABSTRACT

This invention provides a non-disposable, environmentally friendly toothbrush comprising a solid handle and bristled filaments operably affixed thereto, wherein the solid handle is made of an environmentally friendly composition of matter comprising an admixture of cornstarch (PSM) and recycled polypropylene, the weight ratio of biodegradable cornstarch (PSM) to recycled polypropylene being from 50:50 to 80:20.

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.61/237,075, filed Aug. 26, 2009, and U.S. Provisional Application No.61/263,189, filed Nov. 20, 2009, the contents of both of theseapplications being incorporated herein by reference.

Throughout this application, various publications are cited. Thedisclosure of these publications is hereby incorporated by referenceinto this application to describe more fully the state of the art towhich this invention pertains.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Conventional toothbrushes have a negative impact on the environment. Forexample, more than 50,000,000 pounds of toothbrushes pile up inlandfills in this country annually. On an individual basis, a person wholives to be 80 years of age and follows his dentist's advice to changetoothbrushes every three months, which is also the interval recommendedby the American Dental Association, will use more than 300 brushes inhis lifetime.

In addition to excessive landfill use, the use of conventionaltoothbrushes can lead to (i) damage to the atmosphere upon burning, and(ii) destruction of trees, a significant factor in that a mature treeremoves approximately 48 pounds of CO₂ from the atmosphere per year.

Plant-derived biodegradable polymers are a renewable resource and anenvironmentally friendly alternative to traditional plastic.

Our use of recycled materials helps to protect our natural resources,such as oil, water, coal, and natural gas. Using recycled polypropylenealso means a reduction in the emission of greenhouse gasses.

The combined ingredients used in the making of the Ecosafe Toothbrushcontribute to the zero waste movement by reducing the quantity ofmaterial in our landfills.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention provides a toothbrush comprising a solid handle andbristled filaments operably affixed thereto, wherein the solid handle ismade of a composition of matter comprising an admixture of biodegradablecornstarch (PSM) and recycled polypropylene, the weight ratio ofcornstarch (PSM) to recycled polypropylene being from 50:50 to 80:20.

This invention also provides a method for making a solid,environmentally friendly composition of matter suitable for use as atoothbrush handle comprising the step of admixing biodegradablecornstarch (PSM) and recycled polypropylene under suitable conditions,wherein the weight ratio of cornstarch (PSM) to polypropylene is from50:50 to 80:20.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In the present invention, it has now been found that a non-disposabletoothbrush can be constructed using environmentally friendly materialsuch that the handle retains the physical features desirable in atoothbrush.

The growing environmental burden caused by conventional toothbrush useis directly addressed by the subject invention, namely, an “Eco Safe”environmentally friendly toothbrush. These toothbrushes are madeentirely of recycled material and/or material from a renewable sourcethat can be completely recycled. When the toothbrush has completed itsusable lifecycle, it can be returned to the manufacturer or seller,where the components can then be separated and recycled.

These toothbrushes made from biodegradable and recycled materials havenumerous advantages, such as the following: (i) the toothbrushes aremade with biodegradable materials, and thus use less landfill space thanconventional toothbrushes; (ii) toothbrushes made with recycledmaterials reuse resources, and thereby limit the need to use virgin rawmaterials; (iii) the plants from which the toothbrushes are derivedactually absorb harmful gases from the atmosphere, and thus act as apositive influence on the environment, and (iv) these toothbrushes aremore than six-times less damaging to the atmosphere when burned thanconventional polypropylene-based plastic brushes.

Specifically, this invention provides a toothbrush comprising a solidhandle and bristled filaments (also referred to simply as “bristles”)operably affixed thereto, wherein the solid handle is made of anenvironmentally friendly composition of matter comprising an admixtureof biodegradable cornstarch (PSM) (available, for example, from PSMNorth America) and recycled polypropylene, the weight ratio ofcornstarch (PSM) to recycled polypropylene being from 50:50 to 80:20.Although some percentage of the polypropylene used can be non-recycled,it is preferred that the “recycled polypropylene” be 100% recycled. Thesolid handle may optionally contain additional components such ascoloring agents (ideally added at the mixing stage) andtexture-enhancing agents. Preferably all coloring and other agents arebiodegradable. This handle made from the cornstarch (PSM)/recycledpolypropylene composition biodegrades to a more thorough extent thanwould a handle made only from polypropylene.

In the preferred embodiment, the bristles are affixed so that there areeight pounds of pull per bristle. In one embodiment of the subjecttoothbrush, the weight ratio of cornstarch (PSM) to recycledpolypropylene is from 50:50 to 75:25. Preferably, the weight ratio ofcornstarch (PSM) to recycled polypropylene is 65:35.

In another embodiment, the solid handle is made of an environmentallyfriendly composition of matter consisting of an admixture ofbiodegradable cornstarch (PSM) and recycled polypropylene (andoptionally a coloring agent), the weight ratio of cornstarch (PSM) topolypropylene being from 50:50 to 80:20. In a further embodiment, theweight ratio of cornstarch (PSM) to recycled polypropylene is from 50:50to 75:25, and preferably is 65:35.

This invention also provides a method for making a solid,environmentally friendly composition of matter suitable for use as atoothbrush handle comprising the step of admixing biodegradablecornstarch (PSM) and recycled polypropylene under suitable conditions,wherein the weight ratio of cornstarch (PSM) to polypropylene is from50:50 to 80:20. In one embodiment, the weight ratio of cornstarch (PSM)to recycled polypropylene ,is from 50:50 to 75:25, and preferably is65:35.

In this method, the cornstarch and polypropylene are preferably solidbefore mixing, and no solvents are required for mixing. It is notnecessary for either of the cornstarch and polypropylene to exist at aspecified particle size prior to mixing. The mixing apparatus preferablyis capable of weighing each component precisely and consistently toensure product uniformity.

For a short period of time prior to injecting the resulting mixture intoa toothbrush handle mold, the mixing occurs at a temperature of between350° F. and 400° F. The mixture is molded in a press that exerts between200 and 300 tons of pressure.

Although the primary commercial embodiment of this invention is anenvironmentally friendly toothbrush, this invention also provides asolid, environmentally friendly composition of matter comprising anadmixture of biodegradable cornstarch (PSM) and polypropylene(preferably recycled), wherein the weight ratio of cornstarch (PSM) topolypropylene is from 50:50 to 80:20. In one embodiment of thiscomposition, the weight ratio of cornstarch (PSM) to polypropylene isfrom 50:50 to 75:25, and the polypropylene is recycled polypropylene.Preferably, the weight ratio of cornstarch (PSM) to recycledpolypropylene is 65:35. This composition may optionally containadditional components such as coloring agents and texture-enhancingagents (preferably all biodegradable).

Alternatively, in another embodiment, this composition consists of anadmixture of polypropylene (preferably recycled) and cornstarch (PSM)(and optionally a coloring agent), and the weight ratio of cornstarch(PSM) to polypropylene is preferably 65:35.

This invention further provides articles of manufacture (such asconsumer products) comprising a solid component, wherein the solidcomponent is an environmentally friendly composition of mattercomprising an admixture of biodegradable cornstarch (PSM) and recycledpolypropylene, the weigh: ratio of cornstarch (PSM) to recycledpolypropylene being from 50:50 to 80:20, preferably from 50:50 to 75:25,and most preferably 65:35.

What is claimed is:
 1. A toothbrush comprising a solid handle andbristled filaments operably affixed thereto, wherein the solid handle ismade of a composition of matter comprising an admixture of biodegradablecornstarch (PSM) and recycled polypropylene, the weight ratio ofcornstarch (PSM) to recycled polypropylene being from 50:50 to 80:20. 2.The toothbrush of claim 1, wherein the weight ratio of cornstarch (PSM)to recycled polypropylene is from 50:50 to 75:25.
 3. The toothbrush ofclaim 1, wherein the weight ratio of cornstarch (PSM) to recycledpolypropylene is 65:35.
 4. The toothbrush of claim 1, wherein the solidhandle is made of a composition of matter consisting of an admixture ofbiodegradable cornstarch (PSM) and recycled polypropylene, the weightratio of cornstarch (PSM) to polypropylene being from 50:50 to 80:20. 5.The toothbrush of claim 4, wherein the weight ratio of cornstarch (PSM)to recycled polypropylene is from 50:50 to 75:25.
 6. The toothbrush ofclaim 4, wherein the weight ratio of cornstarch (PSM) to recycledpolypropylene is 65:35.
 7. A method for making a solid composition ofmatter suitable for use as a toothbrush handle comprising the step ofadmixing biodegradable cornstarch (PSM) and recycled polypropylene undersuitable conditions, wherein the weight ratio of cornstarch (PSM) topolypropylene is from 50:50 to 80:20.
 8. The method of claim 7, whereinthe weight ratio of cornstarch (PSM) to recycled polypropylene is from50:50 to 75:25.
 9. The method of claim 7, wherein the weight ratio ofcornstarch (PSM) to recycled polypropylene is 65:35.